Ep 3. lighters, fossils, hockey pucks and high-pressure cylinders

In this episode of How It's Made, viewers get an inside look at the production of a variety of everyday objects, including lighters, fossils, hockey pucks, and high-pressure cylinders.

First up are lighters, which may seem like simple devices but actually involve a complex process to manufacture. Viewers see how the two main components of a lighter - the casing and the mechanism - are produced separately before being assembled together. This involves injection molding for the casing and a robotic assembly line for the mechanism. Once assembled, the lighters undergo testing and quality control to ensure they meet safety standards.

Next, the episode moves on to fossils, which are created through a natural process that takes millions of years. But the fossils themselves are often fragile and require special treatment to be preserved and studied. Viewers learn about the process of fossil preparation, which involves the use of air scribe tools and dental tools to carefully remove sediment from around the fossil. The fossil is then cleaned and stabilized before being studied or displayed.

The episode then shifts to hockey pucks, which have a unique manufacturing process. Viewers see how a raw block of rubber is transformed into a finished puck through a series of cutting and molding steps. The rubber is cut into a disc shape, then pressed and heated to create the familiar round puck shape. The pucks are then cooled and painted with the distinctive black color and white markings before being packaged and shipped out to hockey teams and retailers.

Finally, the episode concludes with a look at high-pressure cylinders, which are used in a variety of applications such as scuba diving and firefighting. Viewers learn about the rigorous testing and inspection process that these cylinders undergo to ensure they can handle the extreme pressures they will be exposed to. The cylinders are made from high-strength materials and are subject to hydrostatic testing to ensure they are safe to use. The episode also covers the filling process, in which the cylinders are filled with compressed gas before being shipped out for use.

Overall, this episode of How It's Made provides a fascinating glimpse into the production of four very different types of products. From the intricate manufacturing process of lighters to the careful preparation of fossils, viewers gain insight into the complexity and innovation involved in creating everyday objects.